The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-12-21

s'I--I THOUGHT YOU LIKED MARTHyW
One long embrace, and one shy, sweet
kiss ratified this silent promise.
"Put ON that pretty lilac dress, Martie,
Monday morning, and meet me at 8
o'clock Just beyond the Swayle brook, and
in one hour we will be one, and say moth
ing to anybody. Oh. yes; one other
thing. VIII you trust the children to me
to bring ups viii you give them into my
guardianship completely? Answer yes,
without question:
''Why certainly Since wei
Gan right, Now must really go, for
there's a thousand things to do. You
will be theresn and ms she answered yes,
he caught her plump little form to his
heart again, and kissed her again for
goodby; and he lcaped the fence at
bound, and in u few minutes was at home
about his 'schores, with alight heart, for
he loved Martie truly and we'll, and he
now saw his way to happiness with the
one girl he loved.
Sunday hewent away in the morning,
and was gone all day, and only returned
in time Cor supper.
After the table was cleared, and Mrs.
Hemphill sat down TO rest, with clean
pocket handkerchief folded over her knees,
in her hands, for she always held her
Bible thus every Sunday evening though
no ono could remember ever seeing her
read In 1t, Jabez arose from his seat aud
walked up and down the room in silence.
His mother watched him uneasily.
At last lie spoke:
ssMother, | am thinking of getting mar
ried.n
IL was ont Mt lastl
Her fear was well placed, and the shock
was great.
"Mother, how would you like Lucinda
Rosencrants for daughterYn
III all her imaginings she had never let
her fancy run riot TO an extent that could
have permitted Lucinda Rosencrants to
enter her head as the possible choice OF
her son.
Pretty enough, but coarse and ignorant;
daughter of two idle, dissolute parents;
lazy and slotenly herself, and fond OF
dancing and party going, and all the very
things Tint Mrs Hemphill abhorred, it ID
no wonder that she sat pale and shocked
and speechless.
OF all the girls that she knew, or had
ever heard of, Lucinda was the last one
that she would have chosen, and she could
not bear it.
ell thought you liked Marthy," she
said, TREMENDOUSLY.
+ ~ do like Martha; but you said SO
much
81 rather you'd picked her QUIT
"She refused me-"
"Refused you'll guess you're as good
as she any time. Any gal ought to be
proud to get you"
''She did not think so, and her refusal
did not hurt me long. What do you
think Of Lucindar'
"Oh, Jabez, don't ask. never can
give In to your marrying into that awful
family. Just think Of what set they
are, and Lucinda'll be just the same.
There amt another girl that can hold q
candle to Marthy If 1t wasn't for them
there children. y
''She gave them all away yesterday,
heard, to guardian. y
"Jabez, don't you think you could
change her resolution We amt bound TO
Lucindy, be YER
"You know, mother, never break my
word
Mrs. Hemphill groaned.
"I'd ruther you had took Marthy
with ten young uns to feed and raise than
Lucindy,n and she began to cry, where
The n=xt morning Jabez was gone, no
one knew where, and the whole farm
seemed to want him back; though it was
MONDAY, there was no work done, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Hemphill sat dejectly in the
"best room''
Father" said at last, knocking the
ashes out Of his pipe:
~ knowed Saturday thnt sumpin was
up, but never guessed what, and I'm
blamed IL amt sorry for hiU to go and
take up with that shiftless Lncindy, when
he might ~ had Marthy, only for your
bein' SO sot agin' them poor little young
sters; and / think Marthy was a-doin' her
duty. I'm blamed sorry"
Mr.. Hemphill, don't swear, and don't
say broke off the match. never done
nuthin', only Friday l told Marthy my
opinion about 1t, and she got mad, and l
s'pose said something that maddened
Jabez, for the next day he went of, and
s'pose he asked Lucindy.
s'Oh, what on earth shall do? He Is
such good boy, and to throw himself
away soin
s'Well, IL you told her your mind in the
same way you tell Il to me don't blame
Marthy a bit for gittin' mad"
At this juncture Mrs. Hemphill gave
way to tears, until the noise of wheels ON
the gravel outside aroused them both, and
they looked out to see Jabez and Martha
both looking very happy in the buggy,
and Martha was not in mourning, and
something glittered on her wedding fin
ger.
Mother, father, let me introduce to
you Mrs Martha Hemphill. l hope you
will be pleaaed to form her acquaint-
ance."
PLEASED amt no word, Jabex,'' said
his mother, who caught happy little
Martha In her rather long arms and the